The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-15
CLUyERIuS HANGED.
Governor Lee Declines to Interfere and Miss
Madison's Alleged Murderer is Executed.

RICHMOND, Va. JAM A-At eight minutes
past o'clock CInverius vas hanged. He died
without making any confession, and, speaking
through DR. Hatcher, his sinister, said that in
this moment of death, nearing the grave, he had
no ill-will toward any man on earth. He died
by strangulatiop.
On the morning of March IA, 1855, Mr. L.
Rose, keeper of the old city reservoir, in the
western part of the city, in making his usual
rounds of inspection. discovered the body of a
woman in the reservoir He at once notified the
coroner who had the body taken from the water
1T proved to be that of good looking woman of
about twenty-five years. The coroner, after
viewing the remains, pronounced it case of
esnieidr. and had the body removed to the city
aims house for indentifcafion Mr. Peter j.
Hnrtors a reporter Of the. Richmond Dispatch,
subsequently weAf TO- fH6 reservoir and then TO
the moreue, and his investigation resulted in the
formulation of murder theory upon a
chain of circumstantial evidence whicn con-
vipced many minds. A further examination
OF the body disclosed the fact that the young
woman was far advanced in pregnancy. During
two days many people saw the body. and it was
finally recognized by two young ladies tthe
Misses Dunstan) as friend OF theirs, Miss Fan
ME Lillian Madison, of King and Queens coun-
~ but who had for some time past been teach
ing school in Bath county. The cOroner's in
quest resulted in verdict of probable murder.
Detectives and nolice were set to work, and in a
short time UrOuShL TO UPnb circumstances LDAG
added strength TO the murder theory A woman
who had registered at the American Hotel, OF.
March Is, under the name of Miss f. l.. Morton,
was missing from the hotel, and her disappear
ance and the finding of the body about the same
time furnished the fatal clew, but for which the
murderer might have never been known. While
the so-called Miss Morton was at the hotel she
- wrote and received several notes, but one direct
eed by her was never delivered, an6after her de-
parture from the hotel it was torn to pieces
by the clerk and cast into the waste basket.
THE scraps of this note and the envelope
&yere subsequently, brought to light, and when
pasted together il served as one of the principal
hnks in the chain which convicted the murderer,
it being addressed to Z. j. Cluverius. Further
inquiry developed the fact that the man was a
young lawyer of King and Queens county, and a
cousin Of the deceased. The discovery Of this
note led to the arrest of Cluverius, who was
known to have been in Richmond on March l3.
fie was found at the residence of his aunt. Mrs.
DuEstall. In King and Queens county, and
brought TO this city. He waived a preliminary
examination and was sent to the grand jury of
the Hastings court. He was indicted in April
for murder, and his trial began at the May term
Of court and continued for twenty eight days.
Owing to the difficulty of obtaining competent
jurors in Richmond. it was found necessary to
draw talesmen from Alexandria, and jury was
finally impanneled with seven citizens OF Rich
mond and Ave of Alexandria CON posing it. The
prisoner pleaded not guilty, and the trial pro
ceeded Nearly 200 witnesses were examined
and step by step the evidence fixed
ducer and murderer, and when the able
counsel OH both sides had concluded their efforts
for and against the accused, the jury, after bu,
O few minutes consideration, rendered verdic,
of murder in the first degree. The prisoner
throughout the trial was cool and undaunted
and his self-possession fruitful theme oil
sorument. His counsel excepted ri every posi-
ble point IN the evidence and asked for new
trial. which was refused, and Cluverus was
sentenced 10 be hanged on Nov. s, 1885, An ap
peal was then taken to the Supreme Court OF
the State, which, however, awaited the prisone,
nothing, except that it STAYED the execution fo,
over year. as tho court. with but one dissent
ing voice, affirmed the judgment of the lowe,
:, court. He was then resentenced to be hanged
Dec. TO- 1856. The last resort--the chief execu
tve-was finally applied TO for pardon or com
mutation of sentence to ife-imprisonment, bu
the Governor, after giving the case the mos
coLsiderate attention. could find reason 70
interfering with the mandate of the court. He
however, respited the condemned man until to
do